Conveyer organization for can end drying machines



Dec. 28,1943.

' P. E. PEARSON ET AL CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINESFiled April 16, 1942 9 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 28, 1943. 2,338,055 CONVEYERORGANIZATION FOR C.AN END DRYING MACHINES I P; E. PEARSON ET AL Filed.April 16, 1942. 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 28, 1943. i P. E. PEARSON ET AL I2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-She et 3Filed April 16, 1942 Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL C(DNVEYERORGANIZATION FOR CAN END I DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9Sheets-sheet 5' fun E 4 'Dec. 28, 1943. PIE. PEARSON ET AL CONVEYERORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN 'END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 19429 Sheets-Sheet '7 Dec. 28, 1943. I P E. PEARSON ET AL. 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES FiledApril 16, '1942 9Sheets-Sheet s M iii; Z56

' 1 ".ll'is l jlm Dec. 28, 1943. P. E. PEARSON ET AL 2,338,055

CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1942 9Sheet-Sheet 9 2 Ma I Lhasa rams Patented Dec. 28 1943 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CONVEYER ORGANIZATION FOR CAN END DRYING MACHINES Paul E.Pearson and Ralph M. Mei-o, Chicago, 111., assignors to Continental CanCompany, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationApril is. 1942, Serial Nn. 439,280

17 Claims.

The invention relates generally to drying apparatus and primarily seeksto provide a novel machine structure adapted for efliciently drying theprotective or sealing compound coatings usually applied to can endclosure units.

Machines for drying can ends have been provided heretofore, and anapproved type thereof includes sets or pairs of elevator screws betweenwhich the can ends are fed and which are rotated in a manner forelevating the can ends in spaced relation within a casing in' whichdrying air is passed between the spaced ends, the screws being mountedon a rotor which is indexed station-by-station about a vertical axis,and the can ends being fed between the screw pairs at a receivingstation at the bottom of th rotor and discharged at a dischargingstation at the upper end of the rotor after a suitable drying interval.I'hese machines have been adaptable for the drying of circular can endsonly and it is the purpose of the present invention to provide certainnew and useful improvements in machines of this type designed to adaptthem for drying sealing compound or protective coatings on can ends ofirregular or oblong shape, efiiciently and without danger of damagingthe same by jamming.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated, in which is provided a rotor and means for indexing the sameabout a vertical axis within a drying casing, can end elevating screwpairs on said rotor, and means cooperating with the screws for receivingand holding the can ends with their longitudinal axes disposed radially,there also being included novel indexing means for assuring accuratereception and delivery of the can ends without jamming' Another objectof the invention i to provide an improved machine structure of thecharacter stated, in which the can ends are individually received at thebottom of the rotor and are gradpally fed upwardly in a plurality ofindividual columns on the screw pairs within the casing while havingdrying air passed therebetween,'and

stacking'guides and a pair of cooperating short length lifting screwswhich elevate the can ends individually, initially in spaced relation,and then support the stack of ends. 1

Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved machinestructure ofthe character stated, in which are included an upper feedermechanism effective to deliver can ends from the drying casing to thelowering or cooling screws, and a lower feeder mechanism fortransferring the can ends from the cooling screws to the stackingscrews, both said mechanisms being driven from a common shaft.

Another objector the invention is to provide in a'machine of thecharacter described, can end feeding and transferring means of thecharacter stated including an upper reciprocating feeder and a lowerreciprocating feeder, a shaft and crank arm for reciprocating one saidfeeder, and a sleeve and crank arm for reciprocating the other feeder,said sleeve being prockable about said shaft, and there being includedmeans for preventing jamming of at least one of said feeders.

With the above and other objects in view which will more fully appear,the nature Of the invention will be more clearly understood by followingthe description, the appended claims, and the several views illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and in together comprise a plan view of a machine structureembodying the invention, the drier casing beingshown in horizontalsection.

Figure 2 is an enlarged part side elevation and part verticallongitudinal section, the sectioned portion being viewed principally atthe axis of the drier casing.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the machine taken through theaxis of the drier casing.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenat the position of the dried can end delivery station.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken through the canend cooling and stacking equipments. r

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenon the'line .6-6 on Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a detail vertical cross section taken on th line 1-4 onFigure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross ection illustrating the drivingmechanism for the can end delivering and transferring feeders.

tion herein illustrated, the drier embodying the herein disclosedinvention is illustrated in combination with a sealing compound applyingunit in which the sealing compound intended to assure the sealing of thejoint between the can body ends and the can bodiesmn which they areapplied is deposited on the flange portions of the can ends, and acurler unit in which the edges 01' the can ends are curled in a mannerwell known in the art. In this diagrammatic illustration in Figures 1and 1a of the drawings, a common base is shown, and on this base thesealing compound applying unit generally designated 6, the can end edgecurling unit generally designated I, and the drier unit generallydesignated 3 are mounted. Since the structural details of the sealingcompound appiying unit and the curling unit form no part of thepresent'invention, further detail description of these units is deemedunnecessary herein.

The drier unit includes a base frame 3 upon which is mounted a drivehousing Ill, and on the drive housing is supported a gear housing IIincluding a top or table portion l2 equipped with a circularopening l3therein for accommodating the positioning of the drier rotor to bedescribed in detail hereinafter.

A bearing well I4 is formed in the drive housing Ill, and in thi well arotor sleeve I5 is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis in suitableantifriction bearings IS. The sleeve is equipped with a disk enlargementll provided with twelve upstanding, equi-distantly spaced indexingrollers 18. The drying rotor herein disclosed is a six station rotor,and it;;is= to be understood that one of the indexing rollers isprovided for each station, and that one such roller is disposedintermediately of each two station-associated rollers. In other words,the indexing disk IT is equipped with six main indexing rollers and sixintermediate or auxiliary indexing rollers in the particularillustration herein made, it being understood that the number of rollerswill vary according to the number of stations provided on the rotor.

A rotor haft I9 is freely mounted within the sleeve I5 and has a driverdisk 23 keyed to the lower end thereof beneath'the indexing disk I1,

and'this driver disk has overload release drive i cooperation with thedisk I! through ball and recess equipments 2| opposed by a disk 22longitudinally-slidably mounted on the hub of the disk 20 and yieldablypressed against the overload release balls by an abutment ring 23 andcompression springs interposed between it and said disk 22. The ring 23is opposed by anti-friction bearings 24, and the center shaft I3 issupported upon an adjustable end thrust bearing 25. See Figures 2 and 3.

A driver shaft 26 is horizontally rotatable in bearings 21 provided inthe drive housi g Ill and has an indexing cam 28longitudinally-adjustably secured thereon as at 29. See Figures 2, 3, 9and 10. The indexing cam is equipped with indexing grooving generallydesignated 33 and which includes a central dwell portion 3| whichextends a limited number of degrees about the cincumference of the camdepending upon the rest or dwell interval intervening indexing movementsof the rotor and merges at one end into a movement imparting grooveportion 32 opening through one side of the cam and at its other end intoa roller receiving groove portion 33 opening through the other side ofthe cam. Between the side opening grooving portions 32 and 33, the camis provided with a movement imparting groove portion 34 which openthrough both sides of the cam and is engageable only with theintermediate or auxiliary indexing rollers disposed between eachadjacent pair of station-associated indexing rollers. In thediagrammatic illustration in Figure 9, the intermediate or auxiliaryindexing rollers which engage in the cam grooving 34 alone areillustrated by a single circle whereas the remaining orstation-associated rollers are indicated by double circles.

By reason of the provision of the particular form of indexing camindicated in Figures 9 and 10, very accurate indexing of the dryingrotor is eflected, and jamming of parts because of inaccurate registryof parts during normal functioning of the machine is thus avoided.During a period in which rotation or indexing movement is being impartedto the rotor, one of the auxiliary rollers indicated by a single circlein Figure 9 is engaged in the cam grooving 34 and one of the mainindexing rollers indicated in Figure 9 by a double circle is engaged inthe main grooving 3|, 32, but during the idle or dwell period, only saidmain indexing roller is engaged in the main grooving 34. Thus theintermediate or auxiliary rollers do not function to hold the rotorduring dwell periods, but merely, serve toaccurately control positioningof the rotor during turning. This particular arrangement of indexingrollers is found very advantageous because the individual stations onthe drying rotor have to be placed quite a distance apart, and withoutthe intermediate or auxiliary rollers the necessary accurate control ofthe, indexing movements of the turret would be difficult, andobjectionable overthrowing or misalignment of parts might result.

Should it be attempted to operate the machine with any moving partthereof jammed by interpositioning of any obstructing object, theindexing of the sleeve 15 could go on without imparting rotation to thejammed shaft l9. Under these conditions the disk 22 would be displacedlongitudinallyby movement of. the balls 2| out of their driving recessesin the manner well known in the art. This movement of the disk along theaxis of the shaft can be utilized to actuate any conventional form ofcircuit controlling switch 35 for the purpose of discontinuing thesupply of power to the driving motor and stopping the machine. r I

In order to provide for the driving of parts hereinbefore described, theshaft 26 is equipped with a worm wheel 36 to which rotation is impartedby a worm gear 31 mounted on a drive shaft 38 rotatably mounted insupporting bearings provided in the drive housing It, said shaft 38being driven through belt and pulley connections 39 from the motor 43supported on the base 5. A control clutch 4| preferably is included inthe power transmitting connections and may be actuated by a suitablehand lever equipment 42. See Figures 1a, 2 and 3.

The shaft 26 also drives a cam shaft 43 which is verticallydisposed androtatable in bearings 44 suitably supported on the machine framing inthe manner bestillustrated in' Figures 1a, 2 and 8 of the drawings, saidshaft being driven through a bevel gear couple 45. The purposeof thiscam shaft will be described hereinafter.

The driver shaft 26 also imparts rotation to a unit driving shaft 46which is horizontally rotatable in bearings 4'! mounted on the base 6,the

drive being effected through sprocket and chain connections 48 in themanner clearly illustrated in Figures la and 2 of the drawings. Theshaft by a pitman 54 with a crank 65 secured to the lower end of anactuator shaft 56 which is rockably mounted in vertical position insuitable bearings 51. The shaft 56 is equipped with a crank 68 at itsupper end which is link-connected, as at 59, to a reciprocating feeder60 including feeder fingers 6| which are engageable with can ends 62which have been curled on the curler unit 1 for the purpose of feedingthem one-by-one over the feedways 63 into the drying machine. The canends 62 are oblong in shape, as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and1a of the drawings, and one of the features of the present machine isthat of providing novel equipments for accurately handling andpositioning irregularly shaped can ends of this type, as distinguishedfrom the usually handled round can end units.

On the table l2 surrounding the rotor opening I4 is mounted an insulatedcasing or shell 64 which is closed at the top by a cover 65 supported onstandards 66 extending upwardly from the table; See Figures la, 2 and 3:The cover member 64 is provided with a central throat 61 equipped with aspider-mounted bearing 68 positioned for'providing an upper support forthe rotor shaft l9, and the central throat 61 also supports a dependingair sleeve 69. Heated air is directed downwardly through the throat 61and sleeve 69 from the outlet throat I0 of a circulating fan 1| which issupported upon a plate 12 mounted on the upper ends of the previouslymentioned standards 66. The heated air passing downwardly through thecasing 64, or at least some thereof, passes out through a casing outlet13. Since the particular heating means for the air and the means fordirecting the heated air constitute a separate invention and are coveredin a separate application, further detailed description of thesefeatures is deemed unnecessa'ry herein. v

A rotor head 14 is keyed to the shaft l9 and has a rotor aflixedthereto. See Figures 1a, 2, 3 and 11. Individual bearings I6 aresecured, as at H, to the rotor 15, and each bearing rotatably supports ascrew shaft 18 to which is affixed a lifter screw sleeve 19. Each screwsleeve extends upwardly through the ring 80 recessed in the top of therotor 15 and is equipped witha spiral screw rib 8| secured in a spiralgroove in the sleeve and formed to provide a quick pitch screw portion82 at the lower end and aquick pitch screw portion 83 at the upper end.These screw sleeves are arranged in cooperating pairs in the mannerclearly illustrated in Figure la, the can ends 62 being deliveredbetween individual associated pairs of the screw sleeves as they arepresented serially at the receiving station by the indexing of the rotor16 by operation of the reciprocating feeder equipment 68, 69, 6|hereinbefore referred to.

A driving pinion 84 is keyed to the lower end of each shaft 18, beneaththe respective bearing 16, and all of the pinions 84 mesh with and haverotation imparted thereto by a large diameter driver gear 86. SeeFigures 2, 3 and 11. The gear 86 has a smaller diameter'gear 86 formedintegrally therewith or attached thereto, and these gears freely rotatetogether about a hub 81 keyed as at 88, to the shaft l9, said hub havingaffixed thereto a large diameter gear 89. As is best illustrated inFigure 11 of the drawings, the gear 89, being rotated with the rotorshaft I9 each time it is indexed, imparts rotation to an gear 86, theattached gear 85 and the individual pinions 64 meshing therewith.

A full rotation is imparted to each pinion 84 and the attached lifterscrew sleeve 19 during each full turn of the rotor I5 andits shaft l9about their axis. At each full rotation of the lifter screw sleeve 19 ofeach cooperating pair,

the can ends supported on the spiral groove rib 1 thereof will each belifted one space or pitch distance. In this manner, additional room ismade at the bottom of the screw sleeves for receiving additional canends, and drying can ends are progressively lifted into position forbeing removed at the top of the screw sleeves. The quick pitch spiralrib portions 82 and 83 respec-. tively provided at the bottoms and topsof the lifter screw sleeves serve to suitably space the can ends forproper cooperation, without interference, with the devices which serveto feed the can ends into and from the casing.

A headpiece 93 is secured, as at 94, to the upper end of the rotor shaftl 9 for rotation therewith, and this headpiece has individual bearings95 afiixed thereto, as at 96, for 'rotatably supporting the upper endsof the screw sleeves 19. Each individual bearing supports a dependingstud 91 which provides a rotatable bearing for the'upper end of one ofthe screw sleeves.

The headpiece 93 is suitably skeletonized or equipped with openings forpermitting entry of air from the air sleeve 69 into the open upper endof a perforated distributor sleeve 98 which surrounds the shaft l9 inspaced relation in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of thedrawings, and is supported at its lower end on a head 99 secured to saidshaft. The perforated sleeve 98 extends down between the lifter screwfeeds throughout approximately two-thirds of the depth of the casing andterminates just above the outlet 13 in the manner illustrated in Figure3.

A two-piece supporting plate I89 is aflixed to rigidly supported, as atI02, at their upper ends beneath the headpiece 83. A ring I03 surroundsthe table opening I3 and is equipped with a receiving opening I04,registering with the pr viously described feedways 83, and theindividual can ends fed into thedrier casing by the feeding equipments58, 60, 6! are fed between the individual pairs of lifter screw sleevesthrough this opening and through the receiving opening I05 provided insaid casing.

Supporting brackets I06 are disposed radially between the pairs oflifter screw sleeves in the manner illustrated in Figure 1a of thedrawings, and these brackets include angled portions I01 which arestepped over the ring I03, as at I08, said stepped over portions servingas bottom supports for outer guide rods I09 which cooperate with thestop and guide rods MI in accurately guiding upward movement of the canends in the manner clearly illustrated in-Flgures 1a and 3 of thedrawings. The rods I08 are supported at their upper ends in angledbrackets I I0 which are similarly stepped over the upper stationary ringIII, said ring also being broken at the side opposite the bottomreceiving opening I04 to permit outfeeding of the dried can ends throughthedelivery outlet I I2 in the casing. See Figure 4.

Upon a bracket II3, suitably supported on the upper .portion of themachine framing, are provided dried can end delivering feedways II4disposed to receive can ends fed through the delivery outlet II 2. Thedried can ends fed over these quick pitch thread portions 6 at the topor receiving ends thereof, and quick pitch thread portions H1 at thedelivery or bottom ends thereof. Each of the sleeves of the screwsgenerally designated II5 includes a stud II8 extending upwardly into a.supporting hearing I I0 mounted on the bracket H3, and a depending studI 20 rotatably mounted in a bearing I2I supported in a bracket I22 whichis secured, as at I23, to the framing. See Figures 1a, 2, 5 and 6.

A slide I24 is horizontally reciprocable between the feedways I I4 andis link-connected, as at I25,

to a reciprocating crank arm I26. The slide carries a pivoted fingerequipment I21which is lifted by a spring I28 against a limiting stop I29and which is shaped to engage over the heel of a can end at the nearside thereof each time the slide is moved to the position illustrated inFigure 4 to engage a can end indexed to the discharging station andlifted into the discharging position as illustrated in that figure. Thismanner of causing the finger equipment to engage at the near side of thecan ends minimizes the necessary travel of the slide toward and betweenthe lifted screws and facilitates the discharging of the dried can ends.The slide also includes an intermediate finger equipment I30 which islifted by spring means I3I against a limiting stop I32, and it will benoted by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings that this fingerequipment is shaped to engage behind the can ends and yet is free tomove under them on the retraction of the slide without damaging contacttherewith. The slide also carries an end feeder finger equipment I33which is yieldably elevated by spring means I34 engageable with a heelI35 which also serves as a stop limiting upward movement of the fingerequipment with the nose portions I86 overlying the can end edge portionsin the manner illustrated in Figure 4.

Each time the slide I28 moves to its limit in the feeding direction, itdelivers a dried can end between the pair of lowering screws and over anopening I31 in the feedways through which the can ends can be lowered bysaid screws. being lowered, the cans are guided at the ends by guiderods I38 which aresupported at their lower ends on a bracket I38 whichis mounted over the bracket I22. See Figures 5 and 6. The bracket I39extends over lower feed or transfer ways I40 which are supported, as atI, on the bracket I22 on which the can ends are lowered by the loweringscrew 5. While being lowered, thecan ends are guided at the sides bybars I42, a pair of which straddle each-screw in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figure 5, and these bars are secured, as at I43, on thebracket I38.

A slide I44 is reciprocabie in the ways I40 and is link-connected, as atI45, to a reciprocating crank I46 in the manner clearly illustrated inFigures 1a, 2 and 6 of the drawings.

The previously mentioned reciprocating crank I46 is secured to anactuator shaft I41 which is vertically disposed and rockable in bearingsI48 attached to the machine framing, and the reciprocating crank I46 issecured to a sleeve I40 which is rockable about the shaft I41 in themanner illustrated in Figures 1a and 8 of the drawings. The sleeve has acrank I50 secured thereto, and this crank is connected by'a pitman andstrap I5I with an eccentric I52 adjustably secured upon the cam shaft43. The shaft I41 is equipped at itslower end with a crank I53 which isconnected by a pitman and strap I54 to an eccentric I55 adjustablymounted on the cam shaft 43, and this pitman and strap connectionincludes a yieldable telescopic section I56 which is yieldable in thedirection of movement thereof effective to move the slide I24 toward theelevating screws so that should the rotor in any manner be turned. so asto present a lifter screw in the path of movement of the slide, theslide driving connections can yield without damaging the. parts. I

- While they are being lowered by the lowering screws II5, guided by therods I38 and bars I42, the can ends are cooled, and, as each can end isspaced from the remaining can ends a greater distance by the quick pitchscrew portions II 1, the slide I44 serves to transfer it from thelowering screws to a stacking equipment soon to be described. For thispurpose, the slide is equipped with a single spring-lifted feeder I51.See Fig- I ures 5 and 6.

Each time the slide I44 moves forwardly, the feeder finger I51 thereonengages a dried and cooled can end and transfers it into positionbetween two short lifter screws I58 forming a part of the stackingmechanism. These screws I58 adjustable idler sprocket I65, and about asprocket I66 adjustably secured, as at I61, on the previously describedcam shaft 43.

While aaaaojcs Operation 'Ihe various reciprocating feeders and theindexing mechanism are accurately coordinated in the manner hereinbeforedescribed so that the can ends are fed to and from the drying rotorwithout danger of being damaged by jamming.

Each time the rotor is indexed so as to present screws thereon rotated,the individual can ends and beneath the cooperating guide rod I08. Asthe rotor is successively indexed and the lifter will be lifted inspaced relation by the screws and guided by the rods IIII, I09 inthe'manner hereinbefore described, having the sealing compound or othercoating thereon thoroughly dried in this upward movement through thecasing.

As each can end ultimately reaches the discharging position and islifted an additional distance above the underlying can ends in themanner illustrated in Figure 4, this space lifting'is effected in suchtimed relation with the operation of the feeder slide I24 that the endfinger equ pment I24 thereon w ll. move under the can end and engage theheel thereof at the near s de in the manner illustrated in Fi ure 4. Itwill be observed'by reference to th s figure that an abutment plate I68projects radially from the headpiece 93 between each cooperat ng pa r oflifter screws so as to hold each can end being' d scharged The dried canends are next lowered by the lowering screws H and are cooled duringthis process by lowering. af er which they are transferred one-by-one frm the lower ng screws to the stacking scrcws I58 by the slide and feederfinger equ pment 4,. I51.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arranement of parts may be variously changed and modified w thout departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In indexing means, a rotor adapted to be indexed through a successionof stations, an index ng disk secured to the rotor and'having aplurality of equidistantly spaced indexing rollers projecting therefrom,there being one main roller associated with each station and anauxiliary roller disposed intermediately of every two adjacent mainrollers, and a rotary indexing cam comprising a drum having indexinggrooving in its periphery inwhich to receive said rollers, said groovingincluding a dwell portion merging at its ends into main roller inlet andexit end portions opening through respective ends of the drum incircumferentially spaced relation and an auxiliary groove traversing thedrum angularly between the inlet and exit groove end portions andeflective to receive and act upon only the auxiliary rollers. i

2. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a canvcular relation on the rotor, means :for indexing the rotor to presentthe pairs-ofscrews serially at said stations, means at said receivingstation to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their majoraxes radially disposed with respect to the rotor and centered betweenthe screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receiving stationto be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of the canends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotatingthe lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws anddisposed to engage can end edges across the major axes thereof, andmeans for discharging can ends at said delivery station, said indexingmeans including an indexing disk secured to the rotor and having aplurality of equidistantly spaced indexing rollers projecting therefrom,there being one main roller associated with each pair of lifter screwsand an auxiliary roller disposed intermediately of every two adjacentmain rollers, and a rotary indexing cam comprising a drum havingindexing grooving in its periphery in which to receive said rollers,said grooving including a dwell portion merging at its,ends into mainrollerinlet and exit end portions opening through respective ends of thedrum in circumferentially spaced relations and an auxiliary groovetraversing the drum angularly between the inlet and exit groove endportions and effective to receive and act upon only the auxiliaryrollers. i I

3. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can endreceiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs ofspaced parallel vertical can end l fter screws disposed with their axesin circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor topresent the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at saidreceiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcenteredbetween the screws of the pairs as they are presented at said receivingstationto be engaged by the screws at edges across the minor axes of thecan ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, means forrotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pair ofscrews and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, a stationary ring disposed in the casing and having a guideopening therein through which the can ends are fed between the screwpairs as they are presented at the receiving station, said rotor beingdisposed to rotate Within said stationary ring, and a bracket radiallydisposed between each adjacent pair of screws, each said bracketincluding an angular portion stepped over said ring and forming a bottomsupport for an outwardly located vertical can end guide at a level abovethe level at which the. can ends are fed in at the reends at saiddelivery station.

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor andupstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a can enddelivery station,

4. In a machine of the character described, a-

a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screwsdisposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means forindexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially atsaidstations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong cari endsendwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed withrespect to the rotor and centered between the screwsof the pairs as theyare presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screws atedges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws inspaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide meanscooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can endedges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends atsaid delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top ofthe casing, a pair of parellel vertical can end lowering screws disposedoutside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by thedischarging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are beinglowered by said lowering screws, and means for discharging the can endsfrom the lowering screws.

5. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can endreceiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs-ofspaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axesin circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor topresent the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at saidreceiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to'be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saiddelivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casingand between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, meansfor guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said. loweringscrews, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation adistance from the lowering screws, and means for feeding the can endsone by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screwsto be stacked thereby.

6. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said'frame, a can endreceiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs ofspaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axesin circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor topresent the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at saidreceiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across .the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saiddelivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casingand between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, meansfor guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said loweringscrews, a pair of short length stacking screws dis- 7 posed in parallelrelation a distance from the lowering screws, stack guides extendingabove the stacking screws for confining and guiding the can end stack asit is formed on the stacking screws, and means for feeding the can endsone by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stackingscrews.

7. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can endreceiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs ofspaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axesin circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor topresent the pairs of screws serially at said stations, mean at saidreceiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to en,- gage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saiddelivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casingand between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, meansfor guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said loweringscrews, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation 8.distance from the lowering screws, means for feeding the can ends one byone from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to bestacked thereby, said lowering and stacking screws each having a drivingsprocket on its lower end, and means including a single driver chainengaging all said sprockets for driving the lowering and stackingscrews.

8. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, a rotor,a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, a can endreceiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality of pairs ofspaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axesin circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor topresent the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means at saidreceiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saidlifter screws including quick pitch portions at their upper endseffective to widely space the can ends at the delivery station, and saiddischarging means comprising a reciprocable feeder slide including anend portion projectible into the space provided between can ends at thedelivery station by said quick pitch portions and having thereon afeeder finger engageable under and with the can end end portionsoutermost on the rotor or nearest to said slide.

9. In a machine of the character described, a

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding end receiving station, acan end delivery station, a plurality of, pairs of spaced parallelvertical can end lifter screws disposed with their axes in circularrelation on the rotor, means for indexing the rotor to present the pairsof screws serially at said stations, means at-said receiving station tofeed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor with their major axes radiallydisposed with respect to the rotor and centered between the screws ofthe pairs as they are presented at said receiving station to beengagedby the screws at edges across the minor axes of the can ends and liftedby said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws,guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engagecan end edges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging canends at said delivery station, said located at the top of the casing, apair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside thecasing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means,means for guidin I the can ends while they are being lowered by saidlowering screws. and means for discharging the can ends from thelowering screws.

10. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality ofpairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed withtheir axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing therotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means atsaid receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saidlifter screws including quick pitch portions at their upper endseffective to widely space the can ends at the delivery station, saiddischarging means comprising a reciprocable feeder slide including anend portion projectible into the space provided between can ends at thedelivery station.

by said quick pitch portions and having thereon a feeder fingerengageable under and with the can end 'end portions outermost on therotor or nearest to said slide, said delivery station being located atthe top of the casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end loweringscrews disposed outside the casing andbetween which the can ends are fedby the discharging means, means for guiding the can ends while they arebeing lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screwsdisposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, andmeans for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of thelowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby. v

11. In a machine of the character described, a

supporting frame, a rotor, a casing surrounding said rotor andupstanding on said frame, a can end receiving station, a canend deliverystation, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifterscrews disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, meansfor indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at saidstations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can endsendwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed withrespect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs asthey are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screwsat edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screwsin spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide meanscooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can endedges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends atsaid delivery station, said lifter screws including quick pitch portionsat their upper ends effective to widely space the can ends at thedelivery station, said discharging means comprising a reciprocablefeeder slide including an end portion projectible into the spaceprovided betweencan ends at the delivery station by said quick pitchportions and having thereon a feeder finger engageable under and withthe can end end portions outermost on the rotor or nearest to saidslide, said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, apair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside thecasing and between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means,means for guiding the canends while they are being lowered by saidlowering screws, a pair of short length stacking screws disposed inparallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, stack guidesextending above the stacking screws for confining and guiding the canend stack as it is formed on the stacking screws, and means for feedingthe can ends one by one from the bottom of the lowering screws to thestacking screws.

12. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality ofpairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed withtheir axes in circular relation on the rotor, means, for indexing therotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means atsaid receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide 'means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saiddelivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowerscrews to be stacked thereby, and acommon means for driving the means for discharging the can ends at thedelivery station and also the means for feeding the can ends from thelowering screws to the stacking screws:

13. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality ofpairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed withtheir axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing therotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said station, means atsaid receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating with each pairof screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the major axesthereof, means for discharging can ends at said delivery station, saiddelivery station being located at the top of thecasing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casingand between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, meansfor guiding the can ends while they are being lowered by said loweringscrews, a pair of stacking screws disposed in parallel relation adistance from the lowering screws, means for feeding the can ends one byone from the bottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to bestacked thereby, each of said means for discharging can ends at thedelivery station and for feeding can ends from the bottom of thelowering screws comprising a reciprocatory feeder and there beingincluded a crank arm for imparting movement to each reciprocatoryfeeder, a rock shaft to which one said crank arm is aflixed, a sleeverockable about the rock shaft and to which the other crank arm isaffixed, and means for rocking the rock shaft and the rockable sleeve.

14. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station, aplurality ofpairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed withtheir axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing therotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means atsaid receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise tothe rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across the minoraxes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation, meansfor rotating the lifter screws, guide means cooperating one from thebottom of the lowering screws to the stacking screws to be stackedthereby, each of said means for discharging can ends at the deliverystation and for feeding can ends from the bottom of the lowering screwscomprising a reciprocatory feeder and there being included a crank armfor imparting movement to each reciprocatory feeder, a rock shaft towhich one said crank arm is afflxed, a sleeve rockable about the rockshaft and to which the other crank arm is aflixed, a rotary driver shafthaving two eccentrics affixed thereto, and a pitman and strap connectingeach eccentric with one said crank arm;

15. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station,

, a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel vertical can with each pair ofscrews and disposed to engage Y can and edges across the major axesthereof,

means for discharging can ends at said delivery- .ends while they arebeing lowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screwsdisposed in parallel relation a distance from the lowering end lifterscrews disposed with their axes in circular relation on the rotor, meansfor indexing the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at saidstations, means at said receiving station to feed oblong can endsendwise to the rotor with their major axes radially disposed withrespect to the rotor and centered between the screws of the pairs asthey are presented at said receiving station to be engaged by the screwsat edges across the minor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screwsin spaced relation, means for rotating the lifter screws, guide meanscooperating with each pair of screws and disposed to engage can endedges across the major axes thereof, means for discharging can ends atsaid delivery station, said delivery station being located at the top ofthe casing, a pair of parallel vertical can end lowering screws disposedoutside the casing and between which the can ends are fed by thedischarging means, means for guiding the can ends while they are beinglowered by said lowering screws, a pair of stacking screws disposed inparallel relation a distance from the lowering screws, a reciprocatoryfeeder for feeding the can ends one by one from the bottom of thelowering screws to the stacking screws to be stacked thereby, a crankarm for imparting movement to each reciprocatory feeder, a rock shaft towhich one said crank arm is affixed, a sleeve rockable about the rockshaft and to which the other crank arm is affixed, a rotary driver shafthaving two eccentrics aflixed thereto, and apitman and strap connectingeach eccentric with one said crank arm, at least one said pitman havinga yieldable section therein effective to prevent part damage due tojamming of the connected reciprocatory feeder. i

16. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan end receiving station, a can end delivery station, a plurality ofpairs of spaced parallel vertical can end lifter screws disposed withtheir axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing therotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations, means atsaid receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to the rotor withtheir major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotor andcentered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented at saidreceiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across screws,means for feeding the can ends one by the minor axes of the can ends andlifted by said screws in spaced relation, means for rotating the lifterscrews, guide means cooperating with each pair of screws and disposed toengage can end edges across the major axes thereof, means fordischarging can ends at said delivery station,

said delivery station being located at the top of the casing, a pair ofparallel vertical can end lowering screws disposed outside the casingand between which the can ends are fed by the discharging means, meansfor guiding the can ends L while they are being lowered by said loweringscrews, a pair of stacking screws disposed in centrics aiiixed thereto,and a pitman and strap connecting each eccentric with one said .crankarm, said lowering and stacking screws each having a driving sprocket01' its lower end, a driver sprocket on said rotary driver shaft, and asingle driver chain engaging all said sprockets for driving the loweringand stacking screws. I

17. In a machine of the character described. a supporting frame, arotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and upstanding on said frame, acan and receiving station, a can end delivery station. a plurality 01pairs oi spaced parallel vertical can v 9 end lifter screws disposedwith their axes in circular relation on the rotor, means for indexing--the rotor to present the pairs of screws serially at said stations,means at said receiving station to feed oblong can ends endwise to therotor with their major axes radially disposed with respect to the rotorand centered between the screws of the pairs as they are presented atsaid receiving station to be engaged by the screws at edges across theminor axes of the can ends and lifted by said screws in spaced relation,means for rotating the litter screws, guide means cooperating with eachpair of screws and disposed to engage can end edges across the majoraxes thereof, and means for discharging can ends at said deliverystation; said rotor including a central vertically disposed shaft, andsaid lifter screw rotating means comprising, a large spur gear movablewith the rotor shaft, a double spur gear freely ro-,- tatable about saidrotor shaft, a double idler gear meshing with the large spur gear andwith said double spur gear and effective to impart rotation from theformer to the latter, and a spur gear on each litter screw meshing withand driven by said double spur gear.

PAUL E. PEARSON. RALPH 11. mo.

